Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-06-17

tachment for your protege. have not
mentioned my susp Cons to her, know
ing that they would distress her, but
must probe the MYSTERY which sur
rounds DeVendosa
Il wish you success" l said Grossly.
But pray dom come to me with any
more questions. and, if you discover
thar Paola DeVendosa is q common
thief, beg you not to take the trouble
OF acquainting me with the fact. One
hates 10 be proved at fault in his pet
science, and if I, an old student of
physlo gnonly, have made such ire
menduous mistake in this mans char
acter, don't want to know it. Now,
what about the opera?'' And so I
resolutely shut nay ears to her suspic-
ions.
am very fond OF children, old maid
though be, and have a cons tant stream
OF little visitors on bright afternoons
Nv artistic sense and love of the beauti-
full are gratifed as well as my philopro-
genitiveness by the deliciously Quaint
appearance of the lovely little creatures
who. one and ALL call me 'tAunt Fan
n.y." What pictures they make in their
exquisitely dainty, rich costumes, with
their masses of dark and golden cur}s
falling upon the deep, Vandyke collars
OF their plush coats, and their big, SER
Gus and merry eyes gazing out from
beneath the thick picturesque bangs
which frame their smooth, babyish
brows! They are most welcome visitors
and seldom find me unprepared for
their reception. Perhaps l show
subtle wisdom in enhancing my own
attractions by the added charmes of
delicate cakes and bonbons: at all
events, they love to come and l love to
have them.
One day in March I am holding my
tiny court when the door is thrown
wide open and two new corners rush
into the room. Behind them appears
a whlte-capped bonnet, who is making
They rush up to ME and throw them
selves tumultuous into my arms.
':Oh, Aunt Fanny, Aunt Fanny, we
have brought you something you love;
guess, guess what it is!'
"Why yourselves, little gcesc,' say,
STOPPING to kiss the glowing Checks
mo, no, wrong; it is something bet
ter, cream, real cream from our place
at Staten Island. Marie, cprochez to14ts
Ge safe. She has it, Marie has,
Really! How delicious! and so sweet
Of you my darlings, but Marie may take
it to Julia who will put it in a cooler
place than this warm ROOM
And the bonnie departs, glad, no
doubt. of the opportunity to have a little
chat with my maid. [ am testfying
my gratitude to my small benefactors
by a liberal supply Of swectmeats. when
a sharp, shr:ll cry attracts my atten-
ton. In the doorway stands Julie, her
excltable French nature aroused to a
tremendous pitch, rs she pours out
veluable string OF unntilligable senten-
ccs. l see that she holds something
aloft in her hand, but am too near
sighred to tell what it is.
Julie, I say in tone of authority
which has its effect, ''what is the mat
ter?' i
"But see. madame, it is NEST cs pas,
our dear. little pitcher come back to
usr'
The little Ormstead had recognized
it before I. and now the elder burst
forth, Indignantly:
'Ic is no such thing. It is man,
mas own pitcher. Marie, Mar e,
0elcs done, nest ce pas que c'esl u
| 7naxun4?
had by this time taken the little jug
into nv hands. 1t was indeed my own.
mraculou$ly and mysteriously restored
to me- There could be no doubt as to
! its identity. Even were such {; design
| duplicated it would not bear the stamp
of my family arms and my great grand
! parents initials. Still the children
| clamored for the yindication of their
mothers claims, and I could only
silcence them by pntting on my bonnet
and wrap and escorting them home, in
order to investigate the matter. Mrs.
| Ormstead was comparative stranger
to me; that is, knew her as one knows
so many people in New York. met
her occasionly in society and we ex-
changed formal calls, but her lovely
children were the only real bonds of
union between u.s. Size welcomed me
very kindly and listened with much in
tcrest and sympathy to my tale. When
I had finished [ said:
Il am sure, Mrs. Or;nstcad, you will
pardon my natural desire to know how
| the pitcher came into your possession. "
'Certainly." she replied. ''and am
only sorry that can help you SO little.
I have had it but a few weeks and did
not know that the butler had put your
cream into it, but ever since I have
owned it he has shown d great pride in
its-beauty; shall l say. or ugliness?
and I suppose a little professional VAN
ltv, on his own part, induced him to
display it. My husband has Il strong
fancy for pitchers. Whenever he sees
and odd jug he buys it, so that it has
become q sort of joke with US. One
day was holding a reception when lie
walked into the room with his over
coat on, and the peculiar bullying of
one of his pockets caused much laugh
ing comment. 1t is pitcher!' we all
exclaimed, and sure enough he drew
out this little Jug, which was greatly
admired, and furnished subject for
conjecture and comment for some time.
He had seen it in the window of
| pawnshop, down town, had gone in and
! released it. That is ali know con-
corning it,
| L ludNkcU uer ana aSket', DIS uellctto-
ly as possible, to be allowed to repur-
( chase it at the same price which MIR.
Ormstead had gwen. but she called to
her two little ones and. placing the jug
in their hands, babe them give it to
'Aunt Fanny brimful of their love.
Determined now to trace the thief, I
sent that evening for DR.. Farnsworth
and asked him to place tho matter in the
hands of detectives, and having
learned the name of the pawnbroker,
from whom Mr.. Omstead had brought
| it. I gave him that as a basis of opera